Agrobacterium tumefaciens transformation of Musa species

Abstract

Methods are provided for transforming Musa plants. In particular, methods for wounding meristematic Musa plant tissue to facilitate access of Agrobacterium tumefaciens comprising genetically-engineered T-DNA is provided. The methods may be used to transform the plant to produce pharmaceutical products or to alter the phenotypic trait of the fruit of the plant.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for transforming a Musa plant, said method comprising: a. wounding meristematic tissue from a Musa plant to generate a wounded Musa plant tissue and to facilitate access of Agrobacterium tumefaciens to Musa plant cells competent for transformation and regeneration; and   b. applying to said wounded Musa plant tissue at least one transformation competent Agrobacterium tumefaciens to transform said Musa plant, wherein said at least one transformation competent Agrobacterium tumefaciens harbors at least one Ti plasmid and at least one virulence gene, wherein said at least one Ti plasmid comprises at least one genetically engineered T-DNA to effect transformation of said Musa plant.   
     
     
       2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one genetically engineered T-DNA comprises at least one first gene selected from the group consisting of genes which code for at least one polypeptide non-native to the Musa plant, genes which code for at least one polypeptide native to the Musa plant, genes which alter expression of at least one native Musa gene, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one genetically engineered T-DNA further comprises at least one second gene selected from the group consisting of genes which code for selection agent resistance, genes which code for at least one screenable marker, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one genetically engineered T-DNA further comprises at least one gene which codes for selection agent resistance, and wherein the method further comprises regenerating the transformed Musa plant tissue in the presence of at least one selection agent responsive to the at least one gene which codes for selection agent resistance so as to select for resistant tissue transformed with the at least one genetically engineered T-DNA. 
     
     
       5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the Musa plant is selected from the group consisting of banana and plantain. 
     
     
       6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the meristematic tissue is selected from the group consisting of apical meristem, adventitious meristem, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wounding is by dissection. 
     
     
       8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising bombarding the meristematic tissue with microparticles prior to applying the at least one transformation competent Agrobacterium tumefaciens, but after wounding the meristematic tissue. 
     
     
       9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising co-cultivating the wounded Musa plant tissue with Agrobacterium tumefaciens and at least one compound for inducing the at least one virulence gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. 
     
     
       10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one compound for inducing the at least one virulence gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens is acetosyringone. 
     
     
       11. The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one first gene which codes for at least one polypeptide non-native to the Musa plant codes for resistance to at least one herbicide. 
     
     
       12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one herbicide is selected from the group consisting of phosphinothicin, glyphosate, sulfonylureas, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       13. The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one first gene which codes for at least one polypeptide non-native to the Musa plant codes for at least one pharmaceutical. 
     
     
       14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the at least one pharmaceutical is selected from the group consisting of hepatitis B surface antigen, Norwalk virus capsid protein, interleukins, growth hormone, erythropoietin, G-CSF, GM-CSF, hPG-CSF, M-CSF, Factor VIII, Factor IX, tPA, insulin, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       15. The method according to claim 3, wherein the at least one second gene which codes for at least one screenable marker is selected from the group consisting of GUS, CAT, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       16. The method according to claim 3, wherein the at least one second gene which codes for selection agent resistance codes for antibiotic resistance. 
     
     
       17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the at least one second gene which codes for antibiotic resistance codes for resistance to at least one antibiotic selected from the group consisting of kanamycin, hygromycin, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       18. The method according to claim 3, wherein the at least one second gene which codes for selection agent resistance codes for herbicide resistance. 
     
     
       19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the at least one second gene which codes for herbicide resistance codes for resistance to at least one herbicide selected from the group consisting of phosphinothricin, glyphosate, sulfonylureas, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one genetically engineered T-DNA codes for at least one industrial enzyme. 
     
     
       21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one genetically engineered T-DNA codes for at least one fusion protein. 
     
     
       22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one genetically engineered T-DNA codes for at least one protein that interacts with at least one compound in the Musa plant to produce a secondary metabolite of said at least one compound. 
     
     
       23. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one genetically engineered T-DNA codes for at least one protein that changes at least one phenotypic trait of the fruit of the Musa plant. 
     
     
       24. The method according to claim 23, wherein at least one phenotypic trait is selected from the group consisting of texture, flavor, pigmentation, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one phenotypic trait affects the ripening of the fruit of the Musa plant. 
     
     
       26. A Musa plant produced by the method of claim 1, which comprises cells which comprise in their genome at least one gene selected from the group consisting of at least one gene which codes for at least one polypeptide non-native to the Musa plant, at least one gene which codes for at least one polypeptide native to the Musa plant, at least one gene which codes for altered gene expression of at least one native Musa gene, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       27. A method according to claim 1, further comprising: a) growing said transformed Musa plant for a sufficient time to identify the presence of chimeric features;   b) producing nonchimeric tissue by dividing said transformed Musa plant into segments which have at least one meristem which can regenerate into an intact plant and which have cells that are uniformly transformed to produce nonchimeric tissue; and   c) growing said nonchimeric tissue into a nonchimeric plant.   
     
     
       28. A transformed plant made by the method of claim 1. 
     
     
       29. Vegetatively-derived progeny of the transformed plant of claim 26. 
     
     
       30. Plant parts obtained from the transformed plant of claim 26.